Anastasia's First Christmas
by The Prince Of Azkaban
Summary: Anastasia Tremaine spends her first Christmas in the Palace with Cinderella after the events of Cinderella 3, having finally made peace with her. But this Christmas could be a challenge for Ana; she and Cindy have been told to organize a ball for Christmas, which is a potentially daunting experience for Ana, having been kept away from Christmas for 18 years by her wicked mother.


December 25th, the most magical day of the year for anyone. It had been just over 4 months since I had finally married Kit, and saved my poor stepsister, Anastasia, from her mother's cruel and elitist influence. Ana was now starting to adjust comfortably into her new life with Kit and I, and was now dating a local baker called Scott. Anastasia's life had changed for the better, as had her relationship with me. But this would be another turning point in Ana's life; the first time she could ever experience Christmas freely without the rest of the Tremaines leaning over her. That morning, we awoke to open our gifts. Anastasia was amazed beyond words at this, especially when she found a beautiful necklace from her boyfriend Scott. "I can't believe this. I never thought I would actually experience Christmas", she remarked. "Well, now you can, Anastasia", I said with a warm grin.

Later we had breakfast with the King, and we were over the moon that he asked us to put on a far, far more special ball for Christmas. But he had his own concerns for Anastasia, for whom this was a totally new experience. "I understand you've only helped us plan one or two events in the few months you've been living in this castle, Anastasia, and as such, I think we ought to allow you to do so under Cinderella's supervision." Thank you, Your Majesty. I'm just not sure I can do all of this on my own", Anastasia replied with a shy smile. "It's fine, Anastasia. You just need a little more experience; you've only been her for a few months like the King said", I added.

After breakfast, preparations went into full swing. Anastasia, Kit and I decided we should try to do a third of the prep each, to ensure we wouldn't take on a disproportionate workload. I would assist with getting all of the palace staff ready, Kit would assist with the decorations, and Anastasia would be put in charge of preparing some of the main courses and desserts. She took a few recommendations from me and ordered the kitchen staff to prepare several roast turkeys, and also several flaming Christmas Puddings. She was willing to make the banquet worth the waiting for. I was assisting all the staff with cleaning the palace and preparing all their clothes, and Kit was labouring intensively on the lavish decorations. The halls would soon be littered with holly and reefs, and there would be a massive Christmas tree in the centre of the ballroom. As per Anastasia's request, the King allowed us to leave all the curtains open to provide better lighting, even during the night.

The preparations were all going smoothly, so they weren't the real issue for Anastasia. Around 45 minutes prior to the party, Anastasia was looking...a little on edge to say the least. I went over and asked "Anastasia, is everything alright?". "Cinderella, can we talk please?", she replied. "Of course we can", and I took her aside for a few minutes. "Tell me, what's troubling you?". "Let me explain". Anastasia paused for breath and started explaining everything. "I've just been feeling very concerned about whether I will be able to pull this off, because I've been kept away from Christmas for almost 20 years by my mother, and she doesn't believe in Christmas, she doesn't believe in family, and she doesn't believe in togetherness." "Indeed she doesn't", I said with a bit of disgust in my voice. "She really hasn't helped, Anastasia, and that isn't your fault. But I'm sure you can still enjoy Christmas in spite of that. You know who you are now, and you shouldn't worry about your past. Kit and I will be here for you, so there's no need to worry". Anastasia tried to smile again and said "Thank you, Cinderella". "You're more than welcome, Anastasia", I replied as we returned to the ballroom together.

Just under an hour later, and Anastasia, was finally starting to enjoy the party. My soothing words to her had put her at ease, and she was happily wishing her guests a Merry Christmas. Anastasia was now far more open and honest, and much happier. However, the turning point in the party came when Scott turned up. "ANASTASIA!", he cried with a wide smile. "Scott!", Anastasia yelled back. The two embraced with each other, and I couldn't help but let out a resounding "Awwwwwww". "Thank you so much for coming", Anastasia said. And the two began to dance, as Kit and I resumed. "Merry Christmas, Cindy", Anastasia said willingly. She was finally willing to call me Cindy; a cute abbreviation of my name, and I threw a wink at her as I turned back to Kit and continued our dance. Anastasia's life had now become far more liberating for her, and things would only get better from this Christmas onwards. Her dreams of love were fast becoming a reality, she could finally express her true self, and she could finally sleep peacefully for the first time in years. In the words of Clement Clarke Moore; "To all, a Merry Christmas, and to all a good night".


End file.
